World Briefing / North Korea

Pyongyang ready for nuclear talks

North Korea said today that it is open to new dialogue to defuse tensions over its nuclear weapons program, in what appeared to be a call for direct talks with the United States.

The statement from Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry marks a rare expression of willingness to talk by a regime that has escalated tensions with a flurry of provocations in recent months, including a nuclear test and a series of missile launches.

It also suggests that the isolated communist nation thinks it has raised the stakes enough, and it's time to negotiate.

North Korea again made it clear that it wouldn't return to the six-nation talks involving China, Japan, the two Koreas, Russia and the U.S., saying the forum sought only to "disarm and incapacitate" the nation.

But it said, "There is a specific and reserved form of dialogue that can address the current situation."

The statement did not elaborate on the new form of dialogue. But Pyongyang has long been known to be seeking direct talks with Washington.